WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. government is seeking to deport Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia by the end of October, according to a federal court filing on Friday. The case has become a flashpoint in debates over former President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown.

Abrego Garcia, a legal U.S. resident married to a U.S. citizen, was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March and later returned to the United States in June. The Trump administration alleges that he is a violent MS-13 gang member involved in smuggling other undocumented migrants, claims that Abrego Garcia has denied.

Legal Battle Over Deportation

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have challenged the proposed deportation, arguing that sending him to Liberia—a country with which he has no connection—would be punitive and violate constitutional protections. A federal judge in August previously blocked an attempt to deport him to Uganda.

In Friday’s court filing, U.S. government attorneys said Liberia, an English-speaking democracy and U.S. partner in Africa, could serve as a destination for Abrego Garcia’s removal. Officials indicated that the deportation could be carried out as soon as October 31.

Abrego Garcia’s lead attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, criticized the plan as “punitive, cruel, and unconstitutional,” emphasizing that Costa Rica had agreed to accept him as a refugee—a legal and viable alternative. He argued that deporting Abrego Garcia to Liberia would separate him from his family and home in Maryland.

Background on Abrego Garcia’s Case

Abrego Garcia has lived in the United States under protected legal status since 2019, following a judicial ruling that deportation to El Salvador would put him at risk. Despite this, he became one of more than 200 people sent to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison in March as part of Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign. He was later returned to U.S. soil due to an administrative error.

Since returning, Abrego Garcia has been detained in Tennessee on separate human smuggling charges, unrelated to the Maryland proceedings. His case highlights growing concerns over the Trump administration’s handling of deportations, including potential violations of due process and international human rights norms.

Political and Human Rights Implications

The case has drawn sharp criticism from legal scholars and human rights advocates, who argue that hasty deportation policies risk harming migrants without proper court hearings. Trump supporters, meanwhile, have praised the administration’s tough stance on immigration enforcement.

As Abrego Garcia’s legal team continues to fight his removal, the case is expected to set important precedents regarding the limits of executive power in immigration and the rights of long-term U.S. residents facing deportation.